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2013 PGA Championship: The Contenders

Tiger Woods

Woods returns to the scene of his highest-ever 72-hole total in a major championship (relative to par), a 12-over total of 292 at the 2003 PGA. But he's also coming off one of the more dominant performances of his career, a seven-shot win at the WGC Bridgestone, his fifth win of the 2013 season. The major drought has to end sometime. Why not this week?

Odds: 7-2

Best PGA Finish: Won (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007)

Phil Mickelson

Lefty’s stirring British Open win has vaulted him to the top of the list of favorites at the PGA and made him the sentimental, if not outright, favorite. A second major would virtually clinch Player of the Year honors for Mickelson despite Tiger's five wins.

Odds: 15-1

Best PGA Finish: Won (2005)

Adam Scott

Another candidate for Player of the Year, Scott followed his major breakthrough at Augusta with a near-miss at the British Open. With the monkey off his back, he seems primed for a run of perennial major championship contention.

Odds: 18-1

Best PGA Finish: T3 (2006)

Justin Rose

A surprising missed cut at the British could be a red flag that the hunger is gone after Rose’s breakthrough win at the U.S. Open. That seems unlikely, though.

Odds: 25-1

Best PGA Finish: T3 (2012)

Henrik Stenson

Stenson is in the midst of a career resurgence, surging to No. 11 in the World Golf Ranking on the strength of runner-up finishes at the British Open and WGC Bridgestone. He has seven top-10 appearances in his last 13 tournaments, making him one of the hottest players in this week's field.

Odds: 25-1

Best PGA Finish: T4 (2008)

Brandt Snedeker

Surprisingly, the PGA is the only major where Snedeker has yet to contend, but the PGA also seems the likeliest spot for Sneds’ major breakthrough. He’s one of four multiple winners on Tour this season and a candidate to repeat his FedExCup title.

Odds: 28-1

Best PGA Finish: T18 (2007)

Rory McIlroy

He’s never seen Oak Hill, but he had never been to Kiawah either, and he dominated the field and the Ocean Course at last year’s PGA. Since then, though, he seems to have lost his way. This week would be a good time to find it again.

Odds: 30-1

Best PGA Finish: Won (2012)

Lee Westwood

Westwood is amassing an alarming number of near-misses at majors. His T3 at the British Open was his eighth top-3 finish in a major since 2008. That level of disappointment has to leave some scar tissue. He might contend, but a win seems like a long-shot at this point.

Odds: 30-1

Best PGA Finish: T3 (2009)

Keegan Bradley

The 2011 champ was also in the mix last year at Kiawah before settling for a top-five finish. He carries some positive momentum into this week after a T2 at the Bridgestone.

Odds: 35-1

Best PGA Finish: Won (2011)

Matt Kuchar

Kooch stands tall in the toughest events — five top 10s in majors, eight top 10s in WGC events, including a win at the 2013 Accenture Match Play, since 2010. He missed the cut at Kiawah last year, though.

Odds: 35-1

Best PGA Finish: T10 (2010)

Hunter Mahan

Two of Mahan’s six career top-10 finishes at majors have come this season. He was in prime position at the British Open until a disappointing final round. Will the recent birth of his child prove to be a distraction, or an inspiration?